Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 23 December 1983:
Vol. 222. no. 4630, pp. 1329 - 1331
DOI: 10.1126/science.222.4630.1329
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Membrane Lipid from Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Methanogen: a New Macrocyclic Glycerol Diether

PAUL B. COMITA 1 and ROBERT B. GAGOSIAN 1

1 Department of Chemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543

The membrane lipid of a new deep-sea hydrothermal vent methanogen, Methanococcus jannaschii, has been structurally characterized. The hydrolyzed polar lipid of this archaebacterium is primarily (95 percent) a macrocyclic glycerol diether, which has not been described previously. The structure was elucidated by a combination of chemical and spectroscopic techniques. An initial survey of selected methanogens failed to indicate the presence of this membrane lipid in any microorganism other than Methanococcus jannaschii.

Submitted on August 1, 1983
Accepted on October 31, 1983


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Geomicrobiology of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents.
H. W. Jannasch, H. W. Jannasch, and M. J. Mottl (1985)
Science 229, 717-725
   Abstract »    PDF »
Molecular Mechanisms of Water and Solute Transport across Archaebacterial Lipid Membranes.
J. C. Mathai, G. D. Sprott, and M. L. Zeidel (2001)
J. Biol. Chem. 276, 27266-27271
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)